Columbia River Gorge

I rented a car, as it was cheaper and more convenient than paying for and going on a bus tour for the two of us. 

The falls were stunning,

The trees and some leaves enormous. 

It was a general feeling of Jurassic Park, complete with a few tourists you wished might be eaten by a raptor. 

Here we are on the Oregon Trail. 

Fortunately, Keagan didn't get dysentery, I escaped a snakebite, and I was able to pre-forage for a Diet Coke. 

We had a heated conversation over who was cooler: Lewis or Clark. 

Then we drove on until we saw some falls. These are Latifah Falls. Or something like that. Queen Latifah's show seems to be on the hotel TV a lot. She's so sweet!  But back to these falls. 

Keagan wondered if that waterfall could knock you over. I love my baby, so I wouldn't let him try. 

Cue the Jurassic theme song. The title theme, as I was in a good mood. 

Fun climbing terrain. 

The beautiful, but tourist overrun Multnomah Falls. This one is the most famous. It has a gift shop, a snack bar, and tons of annoying, bossy people.  

On the way up...

Look at the moss on these trees!

Cool little cave. 

Then came the "Move it!  I just want to get a picture," guy.

The "People need to stop pushing" guy who glared at me as the actual pushers who had been in front of me the whole time gazelled up the trail.

Rachel Carson who knowingly informed me that I was in a real rainforest!

Raptors?  Where are you?

Then came these damned "switchback" signs. At switchback 3 of 11 my crew, already unimpressed at the ample signage warning of poison oak, mutinied. Keagan told me that I didn't tell him we would be hiking all of these distances, I know he's afraid of heights, and that he hates me and...well, back down Mt. Everest he went. 

I took my time. 

I took a few pictures for families. 

With their own cameras. Geez. Did you think I'd be a creeper and take them with my own camera?

I meandered on back down where an apologetic crew awaited me. My crew told me he loved me and was worried I fell down and got killed. 

All better now!

Cool sign, eh?

We headed off to one more fall: Bridal Veil Fall. 

I was the George Costanza of parking on this trip. We got lucky every time. And if you were wondering, I rented a "compact" car this time, what with mountains and all, and luckily this one had an actual engine, as opposed to a hamster wheel with a sick hamster. 

My crew was done smiling for photos. 

I wanted to try swimming here. Keagan wanted to swim in the hotel pool. 

Our final scenic vistas were enjoyed at Castle Vista or something like that. 

Stunning views of the Columbia and /or Willamette River Valley.